


Cobwebs All Collected

by Snow



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Chess, Gen, Minor Canonical Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-16
Updated: 2011-08-15
Packaged: 2017-10-22 16:19:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/240014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snow/pseuds/Snow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the prompts: "Mrs Hudson, chess master of 221" and the follow-up "I wonder who would be competition for Mrs Hudson? Mycroft? Anthea?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [wrabbit](https://archiveofourown.org/users/wrabbit/gifts).



> Written as comment-fic and unbetaed.

Mrs. Hudson is in Sherlock and John's kitchen, making them both a nice cup of tea when she hears John bring up the topic of chess to Sherlock. "I used to play Harry all the time," John says. "You'll beat me, I'd think, but it could be fun. More fun than getting tossed into smelly rivers."

"You exaggerate, John," Sherlock says. "It was just the one river, and besides, you showered as soon as we came home."

"And yet I can still feel slime in my hair. You didn't answer my question about the chess, though. Just one game? It's fine if you don't have a set, Harry gave me one. Said she didn't want me going a year and a half without playing again and still beating her." He's smiling at the memory when Mrs. Hudson sets the tea down on the table next to him, before delivering Sherlock's to him.

"I don't like playing silly games like chess," Sherlock says, as John nods gratefully at Mrs. Hudson for the tea, cradling it in his hands. The poor boy looks like he's cold all the way through, despite the shower.

"What he means is that he doesn't like losing at them," Mrs. Hudson tells John with a conspiratorial wink.

"And that it's a waste of my brainpower," Sherlock huffs. "I can hardly be expected to have the rules taking up my memory."

"I'll play you, John," Mrs. Hudson says.

"Oh, that's okay," John replies. "I don't _require_ someone to play chess with me."

Sherlock plasters a fake grin on, one of his expressions that Mrs. Hudson most dislikes. "I'd like to watch if you do play her."

The next thing Mrs. Hudson knows, John is fetching his chess set, despite Mrs. Hudson's protests that she has a very nice one downstairs, in her flat. He sets up the pieces, and he, with all the grace of a gentleman, insists that Mrs. Hudson go first.

The game's wrapped up in twenty minutes, and John spends the last ten minutes staring at Sherlock. Probably for some sign that he's helping Mrs. Hudson, and Mrs. Hudson doesn't begrudge John the suspicion.

"How did you _do_ that?" he asks.

Mrs. Hudson smiles. "Don't worry about it, dear. I've had a lot of practice. Would you like another cuppa?"

John ignores her offer of a consolation prize. "Did she beat you, Sherlock?" he asks.

Sherlock looks offended for the moment before he meets Mrs. Hudson's eyes. "Just ten times." A pause, and then he mutters, "Out of ten."

"He was fairly certain it must be a fluke the first seven times," Mrs. Hudson says, not unkindly. She knows John understands the fondness in her voice.

"No one should be _that_ good," Sherlock says. "At least, no one who's not me."

John laughs and smiles his bright smile at Sherlock before turning to Mrs. Hudson. "I'd love to play you again sometime," he says. "If it wouldn't be too boring for you."

Mrs. Hudson beams. "I'd love to. Now let me see about that cup of tea for you."


	2. Chapter 2

It's not raining, but Mycroft is still holding an umbrella at his side when Mrs. Hudson opens the door. His assistant, a woman Mrs. Hudson knows by the name of Anthea, is standing at his shoulder, her thumbs ever-busy with her phone.

"I'd like to see Sherlock," Mycroft says.

Mrs. Hudson smiles at him. "You don't need my permission to do that, love. Just Sherlock's." She does suspect that her permission would be easier to obtain, but that doesn't garner more than an instant of sympathy from her. She's learned her lesson about letting Mycroft into Sherlock's space without Sherlock's prior consent.

Mycroft nods. "I just thought I'd let you know, so you wouldn't worry too much about the shouting."

He turns to go as Anthea's eyes fall on the chess board Mrs. Hudson has set up on her table. "Oh, do you play?" Anthea asks.

"When I can find the time," Mrs. Hudson replies. "Care to play a game while Mycroft speaks with Sherlock."

Anthea slides her blackberry into her pocket. "I'd love to."

Mycroft leaves and Anthea settles gracefully into a chair. Mrs. Hudson hears her phone buzz. Anthea's fingers twitch towards it for a second, then fall to the table. "Do you want to be white?" Anthea asks.

"I don't have to."

Anthea shrugs. "You may as well."

* * *

By the time Mycroft comes down it's clear that Anthea's winning. "I can wait," he offers, and Anthea nods matter-of-factly.

Mrs. Hudson chuckles. "It seems like it'll only be another five minutes," she says.

It turns out to be only three, since Mrs. Hudson makes the mistake of pushing one of her pawns forward when she should have been moving her remaining knight into position.

"You're really quite skilled," Mrs Hudson says, ever a good sport, as she gather the pieces up to place them back on the board.

"I've had to be," Anthea replies, as she fishes her phone out and shifts her full attention the messages she's missed.

Mycroft gives her a couple of minutes before he asks if she's ready to go.

"I can handle the rest in the car, sure." Anthea smiles brightly at Mrs. Hudson. "Have a good rest of the day."

**Author's Note:**

> As always, comments (including constructive criticism) are welcome and appreciated.


End file.
